Marshall County: Hearing delayed

March 15, 2008

A court hearing involving TransCanada's use of condemnation to build its Keystone pipeline has been postponed. The hearing was to have been next week in Marshall County. It's now scheduled for April 16 and 17 in Britton. Its purpose is to determine whether TransCanada's use of eminent domain is necessary. Trials in the case are scheduled to begin in June. That has not changed. There are landowners in Marshall and Day counties with whom TransCanada does not have easement agreements. But plans call for the pipeline to be buried under land they own along the route. Eminent domain would allow TransCanada to use the land in exchange for payment even if that's not the preference of the property owners. Reporter Scott Waltman; (605) 622-2315, 1-800-925-4100 ext. 315; swaltman@aberdeennews.com.